Dorset Growth Hub Client Invited To Downing Street

DOWNING STREET HOSTS BUSINESS OWNERS FOR SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

Amelia Hooley who runs Dorset Growth Hub client, Southern Cygnet Swim School in Wimborne and other small business owners from the length and breadth of the UK visited Downing Street last Thursday 30th November 2017 to mark Small Business Saturday, which took place last Saturday, December 2nd.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary, Small Business Saturday is the nationwide campaign to support, inspire and promote the UK’s 5.7 million small businesses. This year it has again selected 100 small businesses for the Small Biz 100, many of which will be attending the reception at Downing Street this afternoon.

Small Business Saturday receives widespread support from local authorities across the country, from business and from government. At the Downing Street reception, small business owners were welcomed by Stephen Barclay MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Baroness Fairhead CBE, Minister of State at the Department for International Trade, Claire Perry MP, Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Caroline Nokes MP, Minister for Government Resilience and Efficiency.

Michelle Ovens MBE, Director, Small Business Saturday, said:

“Small Business Saturday shines a spotlight on our local businesses to show how vitally important they are to individual communities and the UK as a whole. We are encouraging everyone to support the small businesses near them this Saturday, by shopping local, and also giving them their backing into 2018 and beyond.”

Stephen Barclay MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said:

“It’s great to welcome so many business owners to Number 10 to show our appreciation for the crucial contribution they make to Britain. Small businesses are vital to a thriving and competitive economy that is fit for the future, so it’s great to see that the number of small businesses in the UK has been growing in recent years. We hope the country will join us in championing the UK’s small businesses, and support them this Saturday.”

“It is such a privilege to have been selected as one of the top 100 small businesses across the UK this year as part of the Small Business Saturday 2017 UK campaign! Our fantastic team of 15 swim teachers and helpers play a huge part in making the swim school a wonderful community for our swimmers to join whilst building their confidence in and around the water and being taught how to become safe and happy swimmers”

The UK’s small businesses made £717 million on Small Business Saturday in 2016, which was a 15 per cent rise on the previous year according to research by principal supporter, American Express.

About small Business Saturday:

Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010, which remains the principal supporter of the campaign in the UK as part of its on-going commitment to encourage consumers to shop small. The campaign also benefits from the backing of leading business organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses and Enterprise Nation.

Small Business Saturday takes place on the first Saturday in December each year, but the campaign aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses. In 2017 Small Business Saturday is on Saturday, December 2nd.